My Genealogy Hound

Americus Vespucius Rieff, postmaster of Waveland, Ark., received his appointment as such in 1881 during Garfield’s administration. He came to this township in 1874, where he erected the present large mill, comprising saw-mill, grist-mill and cotton-gin, with a planing-mill added, valued at $7,000. This business was established in the early days, and in connection with his mill he had a general stock of merchandise. In looking around for a location for his Franklin County mills, he selected his present farm on account of lumber, land and water, the timber consisting principally of pine and oak. He was born in Nashville, Tenn., July 1, 1830, being the son of Joseph and Lydia (Burton) Rieff. His father was born in the Shenandoah Valley, Va., and in 1820 moved to Nashville and was a noted builder and contractor, having constructed with others “Andy Jackson Hermitage” in Wilson County (this building being still in a good condition). He remained in this county until 1836, when he moved to Washington County and settled in Fayetteville, where he engaged in farming, his farm being worked by slaves. Here he built a beautiful residence, a number of business blocks and the State Bank building. In 1832 he lost his wife in Nashville. He died in Fayetteville in 1856, when he was seventy-five years old, as the result of being kicked by a horse and having both legs broken, living but a short time afterward. Americus V. Rieff was educated in Fayetteville, Ark., and at the age of seventeen years joined a company under Capt. S. B. Enyart, serving in the Mexican War one year and was in several skirmishes, but not any battles of importance. At the close of this war the company was discharged, when our subject returned home and entered the Ozark Institute, where he finished his education. After leaving school he went into the contracting and building business with his brother, Fenelon (who was afterward killed in the Confederate service at Pine Bluff, being a captain in Col. Jordan’s regiment), and continued in this business for ten years. In 1855 he erected Cane Hill College, a very large brick building costing $10,000. In the spring of 1861 he raised a cavalry company, which were the first State troops that entered Missouri, and he assisted in erecting a pole ninety feet high at Fayetteville upon which was raised the Confederate flag. He took part in a great many important battles, being in Gen. McCulloch’s command, and was with Gen. Price in his famous raid; was elected captain of a cavalry company, joining Col. J. F. Fagan’s regiment and participated in seventeen engagements. He assumed command at Pilot Knob, fought in the battles of Dug Spring, Oak Hill, Cane Hill, Back Bone, Prairie de Ann, Poison Springs, Mark’s Mills, Little Missouri, Franklin, Jefferson City, Prairie Grove and other engagements and skirmishes. In 1862 A. V. Rieff was appointed master mechanic in the Government workshops, which position he held until the retreat of Gen. Price in Missouri, when he re-entered the army. At the approaching evacuation of Fayetteville he returned home and moved his family to Washington, Hempstead County, later was paroled there and returned to his home in 1866. It can safely be said that there are few in this county who have done better or more faithful work in the defense of his country’s rights than Mr. Rieff, or one who has taken part in more engagements. In the fall of 1866 he moved to Little Rock and took a brief contract for the Government, and one year later west to Van Winkle’s Mill. In 1870 he went to Franklin County, opened a mill there, remaining until 1874, and then moved to his present home. In 1854 he was married to Miss Mary J., daughter of Isaac and P. H. (Mobley) Spencer, natives of Tennessee and Kentucky, respectively. To them have been born ten children. Those living are: Ollie S., William L., Maurice B., Joe Meek, Hiram F., Nellie P. and Katie S. Those deceased are: Fannie B. (wife of T. A. Pettigrew), Mary K. and Hiram. Mr. Rieff is a member of Revilee Lodge No. 69, I. O. O. F., Washington Lodge No. 1, A. F. & A. M., and in politics is a Democrat. He has a fine residence of plantation style, elegant flowers, trees and a beautiful home, lying at the foot of the Magazine Mountains, which are 2,800 feet high, and named so from the Spanish, owing to the rumbling noises. They are quite steep, and at the top are situated the Meda Springs, a summer resort. It can be safely said that the postmaster of Waveland, Ark., has had an interesting and eventful life.